The Outlaw (21 page)

Eight men trussed together and being marched
into town was enough to draw the attention of everyone on the
street. Morgan, with the help of Percy Goins, one of the livery
stable hands, secured a stall in the barn to keep Virgil and the
others in until they talked Vern over at the saloon into handing
over his stock room. It was the only place in town, now, that had a
door that locked.

When everyone was settled, and word had been
sent to Vern, Colt and Morgan rode to the other end of town toward
Morgan’s house. Colt’s palms started sweating the moment he saw
Abigail step out onto the porch.

He’d been practicing his speech all the way
back to Willow Creek. He just hoped Sarah didn’t laugh in his face
and tell him he’d be the last person on earth she’d spend her life
with. He’d rather her take his name willingly but he wasn’t above
forcing it on her. His kidnapping plan was still in the back of his
mind and he smiled as he dismounted and tied the horse’s reins to
the fence in front of Morgan’s house.

“Where’s Sarah?” he asked, walking up to the
house. Abigail looked to Morgan before facing him. Something in her
eyes told him he didn’t want to know.

She blew out a long breath and glanced at
Morgan again. “Sarah’s not here, Colt.”

Colt stopped at the bottom of the steps and
looked up. “Where is she?”

Abigail seemed to deflate, her shoulders
drooped and a frown covered her face. “She’s gone.” She gave him a
sad smile and walked to the railing. “She left Willow Creek over
two hours ago.”

Colt heard her words but didn’t quite
comprehend them. He turned and looked down the street, staring at
the stagecoach in confusion. She left Willow Creek? Turning to face
Abigail, he asked, “How exactly did she leave? The stagecoach is
still here.”

Morgan joined Abigail on the porch and she
immediately took his hand. “A man by the name of William Brighton
came for her. He said he was her fiancé and that he’d been
searching for her.”

The news left him numb. He stared at Abigail
until she looked away, uncomfortable, before she said a quiet, “I’m
sorry,” and went back inside the house. He stared at the spot she’d
been standing for long minutes before Morgan moved into his line of
sight.

“Do you love her, Colt?”

Colt focused his eyes on his brother. “What
difference does it make?” He turned and walked away, a jumble of
thoughts crashing inside his head.

Morgan caught him at the gate and grabbed his
arm. “It makes all the difference in the world.”

Colt laughed. “And how’s that? She’s gone, in
case you didn’t hear your wife.”

“I heard her and it makes little difference
whether she’s here or not. The question I asked is, do you love
her?”

Did he? Colt stared at the ruined town,
pictures of Sarah playing in slow motion in his head. He saw her
smile, heard her laughter and her biting tongue as she yelled at
him. The care she’d shown his sickly father showed him her kindness
and the look in her eyes after he kissed her showed him her desire.
He saw her cheeks redden as she blushed and heard the small sounds
he’d pulled from her as he worshipped her body.

Everything about her took his breath. Did he
love her? Yes, but what difference did it make now? She left with
her pudgy marshal fiancé. She didn’t love him or she would have
refused to go. She’d made her choice and he’d die before he told a
soul how much her decision hurt.

* * * *

Sarah looked at William again and wondered
what he’d do if she just swung her leg over the horse to straddle
the saddle, turned him around, and just… left.

He’d probably chase her down and tie her to
the horse, insist her ordeal had left her in an unstable frame of
mind and haul her to the nearest doctor to have his theory
confirmed.

She sighed and shifted in the saddle, trying
to get comfortable. It wasn’t easy. Her back hurt, her right leg
had gone to sleep from sitting side saddle for so long and sweat
trickled down her back. She was grateful for the light blue dress
Abigail had given her but the material was hot and sticking to her
skin.

Seeing William in Willow Creek had shocked
Sarah so much, she’d not been able to do anything but stand on
Abigail’s front porch and gawk at him. He’d smiled as he walked up
to the house. He’d been searching for her since the day of the bank
robbery, he said, and thanks to her father, had an entire posse of
men with him to see to her safe return.

She’d looked to Abigail, who chose to remain
quiet, before turning back to face him. She’d been at a loss for
words. Giving him a smile in greeting, she entered the house to
collect her things and remembered once she was inside that she had
none. Abigail joined her moments later, asked her what she would do
and Sarah had been so distraught, she couldn’t answer.

Her heart told her to stay but Colt had yet
to say he wanted her. She was confused and didn’t know what to do.
William made the decision for her by boldly coming inside the
house, thanking Abigail for seeing to her care and grabbed her
hand, whisking her out the door and down the walkway to a waiting
horse. He sat her sidesaddle, kissed her hand and mounted his own
horse before the entire party moved out.

That was three hours ago and in all that
time, her heart had been crying for her to go back. That even if
Colt didn’t want her forever that he wouldn’t turn her away.
Irritating man that he was at times, he would take her in just
because she was there.

She glanced at William again and cleared her
throat. “Was the search difficult?”

He nodded his head and shifted in the saddle.
“I’m not used to sleeping on the ground. I’ve not had a decent meal
in a week, either. Or a bath.”

Sarah stared straight ahead, her hands sweaty
against the horse’s reins. “I’m sorry for all your discomfort.”

“It will all be a distant memory once we
return home.” He turned to look at her and smiled. “Your father has
given his consent for us to marry. He’s already started planning
the wedding.” He chuckled. “Heck, we might even ride in and be
married right then and there as excited as he was.”

A quiver of fear rolled down Sarah’s back. At
one time, thoughts of marrying William had left her feeling secure
and satisfied but now, after her adventure with Colt, she knew
she’d never be happy living in Wyoming.

She glanced at William out of the corner of
her eye, taking him in with a more critical eye. He wasn’t anywhere
near handsome. Not like Colt was. William was rather ordinary
looking, actually, and carried a bit more weight on him than he
should. Colt’s nickname for William came back to her, the pudgy
Marshal, and she snickered at the thought.

“What’s so funny?” William asked.

Sarah bit her tongue to keep from laughing.
“Nothing.” She could see him staring at her out of the corner of
her eye. When he said nothing, she turned to look at him. “Whatever
it is you wish to ask, just do so.”

He looked at the other men that were
scattered around them before guiding his horse closer to hers. He
cleared his throat and adjusted the hat on his head. “Well, I was
just wondering…” He inhaled a deep breath and his face reddened.
“See, the thing is Sarah, you’ve been gone a long time and there’s
been talk. Talk of what may have happened to you.” His neck was now
the color of his face and he was trying hard not to look at her.
“You’ve been alone with untold number of men.” He glanced down at
her feet, before looking back up. “I guess what I’m trying to say
is, were you violated?”

She knew this question would come up
eventually, if not from him, from her father. Everyone in town that
knew she’d been taken was probably wondering the exact same thing.
She’d known they would. Being in the company of men who kidnapped
you, it was hard not to think about it. “Does it matter?” He looked
away and Sarah wondered if his head would explode. She’d never seen
someone’s face such a blistering shade of red.

“I’d like to say no, but…” He sighed. “I’m
sorry, Sarah, but it does. It shouldn’t but if we’re to make
anything of our future, then there needs to be honesty among us.
I’ll still marry you but I need to know.”

Sarah agreed that honesty played a big part
of any marriage but she wasn’t sure he realized what it meant
exactly. Him saying he wanted to know was different from actually
knowing.

If she answered him honestly, she’d say no.
She hadn’t been violated in any way. And she hadn’t. She’d given
herself to Colt willingly but she knew that wasn’t what he meant.
He wanted to know had she been touched. Was she still a virgin?

Memories of Colt’s touch caused her own face
to heat, for her cheeks to burn in remembrance. Hearing William’s
soft intake of breath, she turned to look at him. The answer was on
her face, apparently. The look in his eyes hardened, his lips
thinned, pressed into an angry slash across his face. He shifted on
his saddle, yanked at the collar of his shirt and hissed something
under his breath.

He didn’t say a word after that, steering his
horse away from her a little distance, and Sarah went back to
looking at the passing scenery. Her mind wandered, thoughts of Colt
nagging at her to turn the horse around again. To throw caution to
the wind and take a chance.

The men on the outer edges of their little
group started talking in short clipped sentences and Sarah strained
to hear what was being said. She could see the agitation on their
faces, saw their horses dance under them. Most were looking into
the distance, some turning to look behind them, and when Sarah did
the same, she saw why they were suddenly so nervous.

They weren’t alone.

On the hills behind them, a light flashed,
disappeared, and flashed again. She’d seen that before and her
heart started racing. She scanned the rocky outcrop in the
distance, saw an answering light and nearly swallowed her own
tongue. Fear skated along her spine and her thoughts were once
again on Colt. He’d saved her that day but would William? Would he
risk his own life for her just to save her from the Indians?

The warbling wails echoed across the desert
moments later. William and the men pulled their guns before William
yelled, “Go!”

Their little party raced across the valley
and Sarah felt as if time was repeating itself. The Indians gave
chase, their cries echoing across the space. Gunfire rang out, the
horse becoming agitated and running harder as the Indian’s horses
circled around them. Sarah leaned over her mounts back, flipped the
reins and tried to get it to go even faster.

Long minutes later, a hand brushed across her
back, startling her, and she looked to her right. A horse was
pacing hers so close she feared they’d collide. Fingers were felt
against the back of her dress before a strong arm wrapped around
her. She screamed when she was lifted, pulled from her horse and
across the legs of a man she instinctively fought.

They broke away from the others and Sarah
watched as William and his men were pursued before her abductor
turned his horse and started riding in the opposite direction.

Looking behind her, she gasped.

“You didn’t honestly think I’d let you get
away that easy, did you, sweetheart?”

Sarah reached up and snatched the bandana
away from his face. “Colt!”

He kissed her, forcing his tongue into her
mouth as gunfire and shouts filled the air around them. She wrapped
her arms around his neck, held on, and kissed him back.

When he finally pulled away, she was panting
for breath and those tears that had been threatening to fall all
day filled her eyes. “You came for me?”

He smiled and held her closer. “I’ll always
come for you.” He rubbed the side of her face with the back of his
hand. “I love you. I’ll not ever let you go, Sarah.”

“I love you too, Colt.” The tears fell and
she hugged him to her, seeing William and the others in the
distance. The Indian’s had them stopped and off their horses and
she smiled as she saw a few of them undressing. “Shouldn’t we help
William and the others?”

Colt chuckled. “Nah. The Indian’s will help
themselves to their gear and let them go. Same as they did with
us.”

She leaned back to look at him. “And you know
this how?”

“I met a trapper on the way out here who
happens to be on a first name basis with those Indians. Seems they
were about to head back to their village and would be passing
through this area. Luckily for me, they let me tag along.”

Sarah grinned. “So you set it up so you could
kidnap me again?”

He gave her a smug look before nudging the
horse to go faster. “I’m an outlaw,” he said. “It’s what I do.”

Epilogue

They rode for a good portion of the morning,
ending up behind the main house. Sarah could see it in the
distance, the pasture fencing surrounding it all.

Colt led her to a creek, its banks wide.
Rocks on the sandy bottom caused small waterfalls to splash into
small pools and the sound it caused was so serene, she never wanted
to leave.